Locomotive



Oct. 24, 1933. E. SCHELLENS LOCOMOTIVE Filed June 27, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 4/ ATTORNEYS Oct. 24, 1933 L. SCHELLENS 1,932,230

LOCOMOTIVE Filed June 27, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Q AZLM ATTOR N EY;

Oct. 24, 1-933.v

E. L. SCHELLENS LOCOMOTIVE Filed June 27, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVAE NTOR ATTORNEYS n IlullL Oct 24, 1933.

E. SCHELLENS 1,932,230

LOCOMOTIVE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Julie 21, 19:52

i E Q as & & mmwm g ATTORNEYS INY/ENTZR Z W Oct. 24, 1933. E. L. SCHELLENS 1,932,230

LOCdMOTIVE Filed June 21, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 5 E. I... SCHELLENS E,932,23

LOCOMOTIVE Filed June 27, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INZEQTOR v ATTORNEYS pnzzazmmw Git Patented Oct. 24, 1933 PATENT OFFICE.

1,932,230 LOCOMOTIVE Eugene L. Schellens, Ridgewood, N. J., assignor to 0-5 Engineering Company, Englewood, N. J., a corporation of Delaware.

Application June 27, 193.2; Serial No. 619,458

18 Claims.

This invention relates to locomotives, and is primarily concerned With the separationof cinders and other solids from the flue gases, the disposal of the separated solids, and the provision of simple structure, readily applied to ex? isting equipment, which will accomplish these functions in such manner asto enhance the efficiency of the draft and of the locomotive as a whole.

Theinvention is, in part, a continuation of my application No. 454,620,- filed May 20, 1930, on Locomotives, certain features of its subject matter being disclosed in that application.

In locomotives'the present demands are for increased eificiencyand great strides have already been made through economies effected in different units and appurtenances of the locomotives, for example, the average tractive power per locomotive has been increased thirty-three per cent, freight train tonnage has been increased eleven per cent, freight train speeds have been increased thirty-fourper cent, and the fuel consumed per freight train has been decreased thirty per cent. Similar economies have been effected in passenger service. A large majority of theseeconomies can be tracedto greater power, greater boiler capacities, the: feed water heater, the superheater, the booster, and other appurtenances.

Frontends of locomotives, however, have remained practically unchanged, with theresult that present standard front ends such as the Master Mechanics front end, which were satisfactory heretofore, are found to have limitations of such character that they do not meet the increased demands thereon brought aboutby the increased efficiency of the locomotives.

It is to improvements in this part of locomotives that this invention is'directed, and Iaim to increase locomotive efficiency through the'provision of improvements in front ends and associated mechanisms.

My solution of the front end problem differs from previous methods of approach in that it radically departs from the functional operation of the generally accepted front end constructions by entirely eliminating the necessity of grinding the cinders into particles small enough to pass through the screen for stack discharge. In order to properly grind up the cinders and pass them through the screen or netting in these prior constructions, very high velocities are employed, with the result that the cinders come in contact with the netting a number of times and thus cause considerable wear of the netting, as well as of the smokebox ring, cover, stack and other parts. Thecinders discharged through the stack have ahighfuel value, and therefore a wastage of fuel exists;

In such front ends, it is necessary that all gases pass through restrictedareas under a table plate and diaphragm. The. energy thus consumed is a large percentage of the energyrequired to draft the locomotive and, in fact, approximately thirty per cent. of draft energy is consumed through cinder. handling and throttling duetoirestricted passages. This additional energy is obtained. only by. a corresponding increase in back pressure.

In accordancewith the preferred form of. my invention, I propose to separate the cinders from 70. the front end gases atlow velocities and to return them. to the fire box, where they are consumed... According to another form=of my invention, I proposev to.- separate the cinders by aparticulararrangement of gas and cinderpassages. In .eithercase, the arrangement is such that with the possible exception ofoccasional stray cinders andfine dust, there is no stack discharge of cinders'from the front'end."

Among the advantages to be obtained through the practice of my invention are increased draft efficiency, operation with lower back pressure for the same draft, saving of from ten to twenty per cent; of fuel burned dueto reclaiming the cinders, elimination of smoke, and'increased life of the front end parts. The advantages, however, extend well'beyondthe locomotive itself, for economiesare effected in nearly every department of a railroad. These and other advantages willbe better'understood from the following remarks.

The cinders are handled inamanner such that theygravitate to the bottom of the front end, from whence they are returned to the. firebox and burned therein, so that a considerable sav- 95.

ing of fuel iselfected. Furthermore, the arrangement is suchrthat there is substantially no loss of draft andtherefore no additional energy" is required. This results in acorresponding reduction in back pressure.

Referring particularly to thepreferred form of my invention, it ispointed out that the absence of restricted passages results in an even draft distribution over the entire tube sheet of the locomotive, and tests have shown a considerably higher superheat as well as higher average evaporative. values in the tube heating surfaces. Thus greater boiler efficiency is obtained.

The high draft efficiency obtained makes it an easy matter to control smoke conditions by proper firing methods. This eliminates the necessity for special equipment such as has heretofore been required to reduce the smoke nuisance.

I also propose to employ a front end structure of stream-line shape, and therefore, wear on the screen is very materially reduced for the cinders move in a direction tangentially along the screen rather than against it.

I also provide an arrangement whereby any water which drips from the stack is drained into a water-tight well or container surrounding the exhaust pipe of the locomotive, so that as the smoke box becomes hot the water evaporates. Through this arrangement, plugging of the netting is avoided. In this connection it is pointed out that in constructions such as heretofore employed, there is considerable drip from the stack under certain operating conditions which falls on the table plate, netting, or both, and often causes wetting of the cinders and netting to such an extent that very objectionable soot is formed.

I further contemplate the provision of a front end construction operating with relatively low velocities and with relatively low back pressures which is self-cleaning and in which the parts are arranged so that a complete inspection of the locomotive, superheater units and front tube sheetmay be made without removing any internal smoke box parts.

By confining the stack discharge to fine dust which is blown away by even a slight breeze or washed away by rain, a substantial saving in the cost of maintaining ballast is effected.

Wherever stack exhaust containing cinders is ejected directly, against the surfaces of bridges, signals, tunnels, and other'over-head structure, the cutting action'of the cinders removes the paint or other protective coating and permits injurious gases inthe stack exhaust to attack the metal. By eliminating cinders from the stack discharge 1 not only prolong the periods between paintings, but the life, of the structures themselves is materiallyincreased.

It has also been found that live cinders ejected from the stack often cause serious fire loss to property adjacent the right-of-way and, therefore, by separating thecinders from the stack exhaust I eliminate this hazard. Protection to lading along the right-of-way and in transit is also afforded.

Other advantages to be obtained reside in comfort and safety to passengers and employees becauseof the absence of cinders and smoke.

The primary object of my invention is to overcome difficulties such as mentioned above and to increase the emciency of locomotives and railroad operation in general. 1

Other objects have to do with improvements in the cinder return means, in locomotive firing, the use of highly superheated or dry steam in returning the cinders into the fire box, and the introduction of preheated air into the fire box.

How the foregoing, together-with such other objects and advantages as may hereinafter appear or are incident to my inventien'are realized, isillustrated in preferred form in the accompanying drawings, wherein v Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a locomotive front end construction and fire box embodying my invention, with certain portions of the View broken out in order to condense the figure, and with certain ofthe parts appearing in elevation;

Figure 2 is a plan section taken-substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1;

the

Figure 6, illustrating modifications of the inven tion, and

Figure 10 is an enlarged longitudinal section.

taken substantially on the line 10-10 of Figure 5.

Figure 1 shows the front end and fire box construction of a locomotive having a boiler 1, smoke box 2, smoke box cover 2a, fire box 3, stack 4, superheater header 5, dry pipe 6, fiues 7 and 8, for ward flue sheet 9, rear fiue sheet 9a, and exhaust nozzle 10. Between the flue sheet 9 and the stack 4 wing partitions 11 extend partially across the upper half of the smoke box. Between the inner ends of these wing partitions is the rear wall of a shell 12 extending from top to bottom of the smoke box. This shell forms an inner draft chamber 13 around the exhaust nozzle 10 and the stack 4. An opening 14 is provided in the forward upper section of the shell 12 the bottom of this opening being at a higher level than the bottom of the stack.

Forward of the wing partitions 11, baffle walls 15 are mounted on either side of the smoke box, extending forwardly and toward but not to the center of the smoke box. These bafiie or guide walls 15 are curved from side to side and are spaced from the shell 12 in such manner as to prcvide channels 16 around both sides'of the shell. A spark screen 19 is fixed to the shell 12, completely covering the opening 14. Preferably, this screen is attached to the sides of the shell in such manner as not to block the entrances of the passages 16, but it lies in said passages and extends forwardly and inwardly through and beyond them, so that its sides meet in a point, as clearly shown in Figure 2, at the center line and near the front of the smoke box.

Pipes 20 are tapped into the dry pipe at either side of the smoke box and extend forwardly and downwardly to cinderreceiving pockets or hoppers 21, and open into nozzles 22. Opposite these nozzles are pipes 23, each of which extends in a straight .line from the cinder pocket through one of the tubes 8 to the fire box. 3 (see Figure 1). These pipes'pass through the lower part of the passages 16, and, to protect them from the scouring action of the cinder-laden exhaust gases at these points, are covered with sleeves 23'. A straight pipe is thus provided from cinder pocket to fire box, without turns or curves, so that the scouring action of the cinders passing through, will be reduced to a minimum.

The fire box 3 is provided with a mud ring 26,

fire arch 27 and a crown sheet 28. Mounted in the fire box between the tube sheet 9a and the arch 27 are the distributor plates 29, one opposite the end of each cinder-carrying pipe 23. The supports for these plates are tubular members 30, which may be cast integral with said plates or may be fastened thereto in any suitable manner. Slot-like channels 31 are formed in the plates 29, communicating with channels in the tubular supports 30. It will be noted that receiving a feed water: heater: or. the like, and" the disposition of the unit A: surrounding: thestack is such that the gas-flow areabetween'isaid' unit and-j-said recessed portion is approximately the supports project through the'outer boiler:

shell 1 and open to the atmosphere.

In operation, the gases from' the fire b'oxpass= the opening 14, they change their direction due to' the suction created within the chamber 13 by the exhaust throughthe nozzle 10, and the entrained cinders are separated from the gases. The cinders fall to the bottom of the smoke box and into the pockets 21.

When the locomotive is working, the cinders in the pockets 21 are blown by steam jets (supplied with steam preferably from the dry pipe 6) from the nozzles 22, into and through pipes 23, back to the fire box 3. Here they are discharged'upon the distributor plates 29, from which they fly off into the flame. The channels 31" serve a double purpose; first, that of carrying the plates; second, that of sup'plyinga certain amount of additional air to assist in burning the combustible elements of the cinders. tributor plates are located forward of the arch, and the discharged cinders strike them at an angle 'and are reflected upwardly against the direction of 'flow of the burning gases, any trouble that might be caused from the cinders being.

blown directly back below the. arch and through the fire door, if it should be opened, is avoided.

It willbe seen that the novel form and location of'the screen 19 co-operate to'minimizethe danger of its being cloggedzby cinders, for'most of the cinders do not come in contact with the screen, andv those which do contact therewith will be carried alonginstead of directly against it and will be prevented from lodging in the interstices by the vertical position of thescreen and by the scouring action of the gases. Although the screen may be'omitted entirely, under some conditions its use isparticularly advantageous in territories where low-graderfuels, such as lignite, are burned;

From the foregoing 'it will be seen that I am enabled to completely separate-cinders an'd-rother foreign solids fromthe exhaust gases without impairing the effectiveness of the-exhaust, and that the separated cindersare-automatically and positively discharged, into the fire box insuch a way moreover as toprevent them from being blown back through the fire door under any circumstances.

Referring now more particularly to Figuresrtl', 4 and 5, which show the preferred form of my invention, the front end construction illustrated therein includes a unit A of stream-line form, associated with the stack-4a and exhaust nozzle 10a, it being pointed'out'that'thelower'stack ex tensionextends welldown into the unit A and that the exhaust nozzle 10a extends well' up therein. .Thus proper coordination of the stack extension and nozzle tip is aiforded.

The unit' A comprises a top plate 40', a bottom plate 41, a pair of curved back plates 42, and side screens 43, in this instance two screens being illustrated as making up each side. The top plate 40 is supported'from the smoke box casing by means of suitable supports 44 and 45.

The particular form of smoke box 2b illustrated is provided with an arcuate recess 20 (as seen in Figures 3, 4 and 5) adjacent the stack for Since the dis-' equaltoor is greaterithan theflue. areaof: the

locomotive. In instances where thesmoke box-is provided with aflat heater. recess at .thextop, this" serves as a convenient surface for. attachment of the top plate of the unit A..

The bottom plate 41iis positioned on-anadapter:

plate 46 which is secured with awater-tight joint,- as-bymeans of welding, to an adaptermemberA? located in surrounding. relation: to the; exhaust nozzle 10a. The adapter'memberr47.is:secured in place in the smoke box as by means: of .welding at 48, so as to form a water-tight connection.

The adapter mem-ber:'47 and its plate 46 provide a means-sealed from the cinder-passages forv col-.- lecting water drip from-the stack; The dripxis;

caught bythe plate 46 and drains into the'water tightjwell or pocket formedby themember 47, where it is evaporated. This arrangement avoids wetting of the cinders bystack drip; The .adapter plate 46 is provided with an upstanding annular flange 49 and the bottom plate 41.ispro vided witha depending annularz'flange 50 which fits inside of the flange 49. A bottom dividing plate-51 extending along the center line of the. smoke box is located between thebottom plate 41.

and the lower wall of the smoke. box, andextends from the front edge of the unit A to theadapter. member 47. This dividingmember may betackwelded to the smoke box andthe. adapter "member 47.

An uppcrdividing plate 52. also extending along the center line of the. smoke box is located between the top and bottom plates 40 and.41 and may be secured in place. as by means of ,key and pin devices 53, and maybe braced by means of braces 54. This dividing plate extends from the front edge of the unitA to. a point 55 spaced somewhat from the stack" 4a..

Vertical frame members 56' extending from the top to the bottom plate, and horizontal frame members 57- extending: from the verticalframe members to the-front edge of;the.unit, areprovided, the vertical frame members being. secured tothe top and bottom plates asxby means of pin and key devices 58, and the. horizontal members being secured at one end tov the vertical members as'by means of keys- 59 and at their. other ends to suitable structuresfiflassociated with the dividing plate 55 by meansof. pin; and key-dew vices 61.

The curved back plates 42. which together form a semi-circular wall. are attached. at their free ends to the vertical frame'memb'ers 56through the medium of cooperating lugs. GZaclapted-to receive pin and key devices 63;. the; two' curved members 42'bein attached to ether as by mean of hook devices 64. The sections cr-panels of the side screens 43'are secured in place 'bymeans of curved vertical strip-s65 and curved horizontal strips 66. the strips 65' and 66 serving to clamp the screen panels against the vertical frame members 56, the horizontal frame members 5'7and the structure 60, which is carried at the dividing plate 52. The clamping is effected by means of pin and key devices 67. his to be noted that the top edge portions of the upper screen panels resi against flanges 68 provided on the top plate 40, and that the lower edge portions of the bottom screen panels rest against similar flanges pro-- vided on the bottom plate 41. 1

A dividing plate extension "70 'is secured'to the front edge portion of the dividing plate 52 and has its front edge configured to conform with the inside of the front smoke box cover, a slight space '71 being provided between the front edge of the plate and the inside surface of the smoke box cover. This extension may be secured to the dividing plate 52 by means of bolts and double nuts.

It will be noted that the dividing plates 51 and 52 and the extension serve to divide the front portion of the smoke box into halves, in which cinders collect. These plates also function to prevent cross-currents from one side or half of the smoke box to the other, so that no eddies or vortexes are set up. By eliminating the eddies and vortexes, increased efficiency is obtained and objectionable churning around of the cinders is prevented. I prefer to have the bottom edge 72 of the extension '70 located at a point somewhat above the bottom wall of the smoke box, so that a relatively small opening 72a is provided at the bottom through which cinders may pass from one half of the smoke box to the other half.

Referring particularly to Figures, it will be seen that the size of the unit A is such that comparatively large and unrestricted passages are provided at each side thereof for the free passage of the gases and cinders, so that low velocity operation is obtained. The cross-sectional area of these passages may be from one hundred and fifty per cent. to two hundred per cent. of the flue area. I

Aswill be seen from inspection of Figure 5, the rounded back wallv and the side screens arranged in the form of a V cooperate to provide a stream-line device. This stream lining goes hand in hand with the low velocities in increasing the effectiveness of the device.

' The unit A may be readily applied to existing smoke boxes, since it merely replaces the conventional type of netting and baffles. The unit is readily assembled due to its simplicity of construction involving removable plates conveniently joined together by strips and key devices.

In the lower portion of the smoke box and to each side of the unit A, a pair of cinder return pipes 23a are located. These pipes, as in the form illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, extend from the smoke box to the fire box and are straight from their entrance ends to their exit ends and extend through lower fiues 8a of the locomotive boiler. Each cinder return pipe 23a is preferably made of two sections 231) and 230. The section 231); which is at the smoke box end of the pipe, has-a thicker wall than the other section 230, but the inside diameters of the two are the same. The section 23?) is preferably readily replaceable.

An ejector device-'73 is associated with each cinder return pipe 23a at its entrance or smoke box end, and since the pipes are located low in the smoke box, the ejector devices will be submerged in the cinders collecting in the bottom thereof. Each device '13 includes a steam nozzle '14 and a supporting member '75 (see Figure 10) The supporting member 75 is provided with a steam chamber 76 to which steam is admitted by means of a steam inlet 7'7. the steam chambers 76 of the ejector devices '73 from the main steam pipes 79 of the locomotive. Check valves 80 are provided in the steam pipes 78 to prevent cinders from being sucked back through the steam pipes when drifting due to high vacuum in the main steam pipes '79.

By arranging the steam supply pipes 78 in the manner just described, the supply of steam to the ejector devices is synchronized with the main Steam pipes 78 lead steam to throttle of the locomotive, and therefore, the

steam supply to the steam ejectors is always closed when the main throttle is closed. In some instances, however, it may be desirable to have the steam pipes 78 receive their steam from the steam dome of the locomotive. In such case, a special superheater unit is provided to which saturated steam is led from the dome, and from which the superheated steam is led to the ejector devices. I also propose in some instances to take the steam from the superheated side of the superheater at the main blower pipe. Although with these arrangements steam would continuously blow through the ejectors, whether the locomotive throttle be closed or not, theynevertheless have certain operating advantages. For example, the latter arrangement causes circulation through the superheater at all times.

At the end of the supporting member 75, opposite the steam chamber '76 and axially spaced therefrom, is a ring-like portion 81 (see Figure 10) having an aperture 82 therein for receiving the section 231) of the cinder return pipe 23a. The aperture 82 is in coaxial alignment with an aperture 83 in the wall 84 of the steam chamber 76, which aperture is adapted to receive the steam nozzle '74. The steam chamber and the ring-like portion 81 are connected together by means of a pair of arms or webs 85. These arms are preferably diametrically oppositely disposed in a horizontal plane so that cinders may freely pass to the space therebetween from the top and bottom. By so disposing these arms, arching of the cinders between them is prevented. Stated in another way, the connecting arms 85 are arranged to constitute a cage-like supporting means for the ejector and return pipe of such character that cinders may freely enter the entrance end of the cinder pipe. In order to support the cinder return pipe assemblies at the smoke box end, brackets 23d are employed at spaced intervals along the portions thereof which extend into the smoke box, the brackets being secured to the smoke box casing. Thesupport of thesepipes at the fire box end will be described hereinafter.

It will thus be seen that I haveprovided a construction whereby the steam nozzle '75 may be solidly supported from the cinder return pipe and in exact coaxial alignment therewith. This is of utmost importance to the proper functioning of the device, for I have found that if the cinder pipe and the ejector areever so slightly out of alignment. the cinder pipe will wear out very rapidly. This would also be true if the cinder pipe were to have any bends therein or if obstructions of any kind were to be in the path of the stream of steam and cinders passing through the pipe. It will thus be seen that it is of importance not only to have the ejector and cinder pipe in absolute alignment but also to employ a pipe which is straight from its entrance to its exit end, with no obstructions of any kind therein.

By spacing the steam nozzle away from the entrance end of the-cinder pipe and submerging the ejector device in a body of collected cinders, it will be seen that the cinders are ejected into the pipe with the steam, and therefore objectionable abrasion such as would occur if the cinders were induced into the pipe by a steam nozzle located within the pipe at its entrance end, is avoided.

In explanation of the above, it is pointed out that the steam jet at the entrance end of the cinder pipe has a spread of approximately eight per cent. or one inch in twelve inches. The steam jet, of course, produces an entraining effect on rap ,provided with an extension tube 86 whichserves the surrounding gases and-effects a heavy flow of cinders into the entrance of the pipe. All of these cinders must at some time pass into the steam jet and some of them contact with the jet before entering the pipe, while ;a large proportion thereof are whirled through the pipe so that they do not touch it, except possibly at some point way back, and then only at a very small angle of incidence. In fact, some of the cinders do not touch the pipe at all. Experience showsthat any wear which may occur is greatest at approximately nine to twelve inches from the entrance end of the pipe, or around the point where the jet first contacts with the pipe. As pointed out above, this portion or section of the pipe is heavy walled and it is found that any wear taking place thereat results in producing a gradual concaving of the interior of the pipe apparently of the contour of the spreading jet, whereupon the rate of wear rapidly decreases. The wear is slight, and no doubt is caused only by the finer dust, as the heavier cinders are mostly carried well back of this point due to their momentum. I further attribute the absence of any appreciable wear to the presence of eddies due to resistance, at the edge portion of the stream of steam where the steam contacts with the pipe, these eddies probably being in the form of backward curls rejoining the main body of the stream. If this be the case, the cinder particles as they are entrained in the steam stream when they reach the periphery of the stream, come into the region where the eddies are and where their velocity relation to the pipe wall is much reduced, so that even if impingement occurs, it is so slight that the abrasive action is negligible. 1

If there should be a slight misalignment of the nozzle and pipe, this eddycondition would be different and the cinder particles would forcefully impinge and havea scouring action. Stated in another way, with such misalignment, the'entire mass of cinders is directed to asinall portion of the pipe, resulting in-concentrated wear as well as an increase in the angle of incidence.

'I have found that while wear takes place. at

the initial point of contact, the amount thereof decreases rapidly after initial service of the device, and this no doubt is due to the greater surface over which this wear is distributed and to some change in the angle of incidence of the particles contacting with the surface. In general, it maybe stated that for a given cinder velocity and mass, the cinder wear will be a function of the angle of incidence against the pipe Wall. Actual operation has shown that a device constructed in accordance with my invention operates in a manner such that difliculties heretofore experienced with cinder pipes wearing out,

are overcome. V I

By arranging the cinder return pipeswithin boiler fiuesand by employing superheatedor dry steam in the ejectors, the cinders are prevented from becoming moisture-laden. In this connec-' tion it is pointed out that if the cinder return 7 pipes were located directly in the water space of the boiler, they would sweat when the locomotive is being fired up, for example, anddifiiculties such as plugging up of the pipes would be encountered. Similar difiiculties would be. encountered if saturated steam were used in the ejectors.

Referring now to the fire box end of the locomotive, it will be seen that theaxes of the cinder return pipes extended, fall below the fire box arch. 'In the form of fire box illustrated at 3a in Figures Band 6, each cinder return,pipe.-2 3a.is

. air flue 87.

'to 'extend the cinder return pipe from the rear tube sheet-9b into close proximity to the fire box arch 27a. An air flue 87 is mounted on the extension tube 86 in spaced surrounding relation thereto and is preferablycovered with heat-resisting lagging 88. 'A solid centering bushing 89 is employed at the flue sheet end of the air-'fiue and a plurality of centering lugs 90-are employed at the other end thereof. An air duct 91 fitting within a. sleeve 92 is provided for leading atmospheric air to the interior of the air fiue 87. The sleeve 92 is welded to the boiler shell 93 and to the fire box shell 94, and the air duct 91 is welded tothesleeve 92 at one end-and has a snug fit at its other end into an aperture in the wall of the Spaced blocks 95 carried-by the fire box shell 9e are provided for supporting the air flue and cinder pipe extension. It is to be noted that the cinder pipe 23a is supported at its end portion 95 by thestructure just described.

cinders and steam. The air flue 87 acts as an air cooling means for the'cinder pipe extension, and

therefore protects iii-against burning outdue to the heat within the fire box.

In Figure 8 Ihave illustrated a modified-arrangement of the above applied to a fire box 3b of a different type. In this construction the cinder pipe extension 86a is considerably shorter than that shown in'Figure 6, and the air flue 87a is supported directly from a pair of air ducts 91a which are attachedat their upper ends to the air fiue and at their lower ends to a fixed plate 99. An upright wall 100 is associated with the fire box arch 27b and is provided with an aperture 101 in coaxial alignment with the cinder return pipe through which the cinders carrying steam with respect to the flue sheet that no extension,

is needed on the cinder return pipe 230. In this instance the cinder return pipe ends substantially atthe fluesheet and discharges its cindersand steam through an aperture 98a in the special arch brick'97a. 1

Through thearrangements just described, even distribution ofthe cinders in the fire box is obtained. v

The cinder return pipe assemblies whichinclude the ejector devices '73, the thickened wall pipe section 23b and the pipe section 230, are

a It will be seen from the foregoing that byhandling the cinders in the manner described and returning them to the fire box where they are burned as fuel, I have in effect provided what may be termed a secondary stoker for the locomotive, which handles fuel taken from within the locomotive system.

No specific claim is made herein to the cinder separating means in the smoke box illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, as claims directed thereto form part of the subject matter of my copending applications Serial No. 415,199, filed December 19th, 1929, and Serial No. 454,020, filed May 20th, 1930. No specific claim is made herein to the cinder separating means in the smoke box illustrated in Figures 3, l, and 5 of the drawings, as claims directed thereto form part of the subject matter of my copending application Serial No. 674,793, filed June 8th, 1933, which application is a division of this case.

I claim:

1. Ina locomotive having a boiler, a smoke box, and a fire box, means for returning cinders from the smoke box to the fire box including an open ended unobstructed return pipe straight from end to end and extending from smoke box to fire box, one open end of which constitutes a cinder entrance and the other a cinder exit and a fluid operated cinder ejector in coaxial alignment with said pipe and exterior thereof at its entrance end.

2. In a locomotive having a fire box, a smoke box adapted to collect cinders, means for transporting cinders from the smoke box to the fire box including an open ended unobstructed return pipe straight from end to end and extending from smoke box to fire box, the open end at the smoke box constituting a cinder entrance and the other open end a cinder exit, and an ejector mounted in coaxial alignmentwith and in spaced relation to said pipe at its entrance end to provide a space therebetween from which cinders are ejected into and thru the pipe.

3. In a locomotive having a fire box, a smoke box adapted to collect cinders, means for transporting cinders from the smoke box to the fire box including an open ended unobstructed return pipe straight from end to end and extending from smoke box to fire box, the open end at the smoke box constituting a cinder entrance and the other open end a cinder exit, and an ejector mounted in coaxial alignment with and in spaced relation to said pipe at its entrance end, said pipe being so located that its entrance end and the associated ejector are in the lower portion of the smoke box.

4. In a locomotive having a boiler, a smoke box, and a fire box, means for returning cinders from the smoke box to the fire box including an open ended unobstructed return pipe straight from end to end and extending from smoke box to fire box, one open end of which constitutes a cinder entrance and the other a cinder exit, and a cinder ejector supportedfrom said pipe at its entrance end in coaxial alignment therewith.

' 5. In a locomotive having a boiler shell, a smoke box and a fire box, means for returning-cinders from the smoke box to thefire box including a straight pipe located within the boiler shell and an ejector supported from said pipe, said means being insertable and removable as a unit.

6. In a locomotive having a boiler,'a smoke box, and a fire box, means-for returning cinders from the smoke box to the fire box including an open ended unobstructed return pipe straight from end to end and extending from smoke box to fire box, one open endof which constitutes a cinder entrance and theother a cinder exit, a cinder ejector, and means for supporting said ejector from said pipe in coaxial alignment therewith and in spaced axial relation thereto.

'7. In a locomotive having a smoke box and a fire box, means for returning cinders from the smoke box to the fire box including a straight pipe, an ejector, and means for supporting the ejector from the pipe in coaxial alignment therewith and in spaced axial relation thereto including spaced elements for supporting the ejector from the pipe, and means connecting said elements, said means being spaced to prevent arching of cinders.

8. In a locomotive having a smoke box, a boiler, a fire box, and a superheater, means. for returning cinders from the smoke box to the fire box including a return pipe extending from the smoke box to the fire box, a superheated steam operated cinder ejector associated with said pipe, and means for leading operating steam to said ejector from the superheater.

9. In a locomotive having a smoke box, a boiler, a superheater, a fire box, and fiues extending between smoke box and fire box through said boiler, means for returning cinders from the smoke box to the fire box including an open ended return pipe straight from end to end-and extending from said smoke box through one of said fiue tubes to said fire box, a superheated steam operated cinder ejector in coaxial alignment with said pipe at its entrance end and means for leading operating steam to said ejector from said superheater. V

10. In a locomotive having a fire box, a pipe extending into said fire box for the discharge of cinders thereinto, and means for introducing preheated air into said fire box with the cinders, said means including an air preheater in surrounding relation to said pipe.

11. In a locomotive having a firebox, a-pipe extending into said fire box for the discharge of cinders thereinto, a jacket in spaced surrounding relation to said pipe and having openings discharging air into the fire box and means establishing communication between the interiorof the jacket and the atmosphere.

12. In a locomotive having a fire boxfa pipe extending into said fire box for the discharge of cinders thereinto, a jacket in spaced surrounding relation to said pipe, means for supporting said jacket, said means being hollow and establishing communication between the atmosphere and the interior of the jacket, and said jacket said pipe at one end thereof, said pipe having a thickened wall portion at its ejector end.

14:. In a locomotive having a smoke box and a fire box, means for returning cinders from the smoke box to the fire box including a straight pipe, and an ejector in'coaxial alignment with said pipe at one end thereof, said pipe having a detachable thickened wall portion at its ejector end.

15. In a -locomotive having'a smoke box, a boiler, "a fire box, and fiues extending between smoke box and fire box through said boiler, a cinder collecting compartment in the lower portion of the smoke box directly open to the smoke box plurality of open ended unobstructed return pipes space, and cinder removing means extending from said compartment through one of said flues to the fire box, said means including an open ended unobstructed return pipe straight from end to end and extending from the cinder collecting compartment to the fire box, one open end of which constitutes a cinder entrance and the other a cinder exit, and a fluid operated cinder ejector in coaxial alignment with said pipe and exterior thereof at its entrance end.

16. In a locomotive having a smoke box, a boiler and a fire box, means for returning cinders from the smoke box to the fire box including a plurality of open ended unobstructed return pipes straight from end to end, means providing a plurality of cinder collecting compartments in the lower portion of the smoke box in direct open communication with the smoke box proper, said return pipes extending from said compartments to the fire box, one open end thereof constituting a cinder entrance and the other a cinder exit, and a fluid operated cinder ejector in coaxial alignment with each return pipe at its entrance end.

1'7. In a locomotive having a smoke box, a boiler and a fire box, means for returning cinders from the smoke box to the fire box including a straight from end to end, means providing a plurality of communicating cinder collecting compartments in the lower portion of the smoke box in direct open communication with the smoke box proper, said return pipes extending from said compartments to the fire box, one open end thereof constituting a cinder entrance and the other a cinder exit, and a fluid operated cinder ejector in coaxial alignment with each return pipe at its entrance end.

18. In a locomotive having a smoke box, a boiler and a fire box, means for returning cinders from the smoke box to the fire box including a plurality of open ended unobstructed return pipes straight from end to end, means providing a plurality of communicating cinder collecting compartments in the forward lower portion of the smoke box in direct open communication with the smoke box proper, said return pipes extending from said compartments to the fire box, one open end thereof constituting a cinder entrance and the other a cinder exit, and a fluid operated cinder ejector in coaxial alignment with each return pipe at its entrance end.

EUGENE L. SCHELLENS. 

